Fair Decks

Unfair Decks

Decklist

Lands

Snow Basic Lands

2

2

1

You obviously want 1 of each for the fetchlands. You want a second copy of 《Snow-Covered Forest》 because of your 6 《Noble Hierarch》 / 《Birds of Paradise》 and second 《Snow-Covered Island》 because of Jace and 《Vendilion Clique》. Also, having many snow basic is great for 《Ice-Fang Coatl》 and against 《Magus of the Moon》 and 《Path to Exile》 / 《Field of Ruin》.

Shocklands

2

1

1

Here again 1 of each for the fetchlands and we have second 《Breeding Pool》 since blue and green are the most common color in the deck, especially with 4 《Ice-Fang Coatl》.

Fetchlands

4

4

3

Having green is a higher priority, then having blue. 11 is a good number to make 《Renegade Rallier》 working. It also work well with Jace’s 《Brainstorm》 ability.

Utilityland

1

You have 8 fetchlands to search for it in your deck, so all of them represent a potential creature to equip. It can be your flash creature after a 《Supreme Verdict》, and it can also chump-block in a close race or to protect your Jace. Many people don’t play around it, I even traded it with a 《Slippery Bogle》 once.

Creatures

Mana Dorks

4

2

With the high number of 3 mana cards in our deck, it’s pretty good to have one of this accelerations on turn 1. 6 seems the right number. Also even in late game, you will be able to equip one of them and use it as a finisher.

Turn 2 Bodies

4

The deck exists because of 《Stoneforge Mystic》. The card was banned during many years in Modern, mainly because it was dominating Standard too much. Having a turn 2 quality threat as Stoneforge is great, especially with 《Force of Negation》 to protect her.

4

《Ice-Fang Coatl》 has multiple qualities. First, it replace himself with its enter the battlefield ability. Then it can trade with many strong creatures like 《Tarmogoyf》 or 《Death’s Shadow》. Besides that, it’s a blue card and it helps you to respect the minimum number for 《Force of Negation》.

3 Mana GREAT Creatures

4

《Spell Queller》 is ridiculous in this deck. Many cards in your deck are instant or have flash. It means that it’s not so obvious when to keep mana open. You could have an 《Ice-Fang Coatl》, a 《Mana Leak》, a 《Vendilion Clique》 or a 《Force of Negation》. It’s a very good tempo card and you can protect it by using equipments on it.

2

《Renegade Rallier》 is a super good cards in fair matchups. It produces card advantage and body presence at the same time. A turn 2 Renegade bringing back a fetchland is very good. Also, your opponents must kill Stoneforge in sorcery speed if they don’t want you to put a 《Batterskull》 in play the next turn. If they do, Renegade brings her back, searches a Sword and even if they kill Stoneforge again, you win a turn to pay 5 mana for 《Batterskull》.

2

《Vendilion Clique》 is a very good addition to fight combo decks. You can play it on their draw step as usual but I especially like the fact to bluff a 《Spell Queller》 and if opponent passed their turn without any plays then you can play Clique safely at the end of turn. Also doing that doesn’t mean you don’t have Queller so they will face kind of the same situation in the very next turn.

Instant / Sorcery

4

1

1

I thought that 4 《Path to Exile》 was not enough removals in the deck and I decided to play 6 with a 《Dismember》 and an 《Oust》. 《Dismember》 can be cast with 《Birds of Paradise》 but most of the time it requires us 4 life so you don’t want the second copy. 《Oust》 is great against any creature decks like Mono-Red Prowess, 《Devoted Druid》 Combo and Humans, especially when you face a 《Meddling Mage》 on 《Path to Exile》.

4

If there is a reason to play the deck other than 《Stoneforge Mystic》, it will be 《Force of Negation》. The card allows you to play a threat and counter a key card at the same turn. This is the card Modern needed to keep in respect combo decks.

1

I like 《Spell Pierce》 as an alternative turn one action. Also, it is super good with 《Renegade Rallier》 + fetchland on turn 2.

Equipments

1

1

1

I play the same 3 as Petr does. It looks very good like this.

Planeswalkers

3

I played only two for a long time… and I’ve never been so sure when to add the 3rd copy. This is a card you want to see every game and because it’s blue you can still exile the extra copy for 《Force of Negation》. It’s also too good to have Force and Jace on the same turn since when you untap with Jace you win almost all games.

Cards I Don’t Play and Why

《Teferi, Time Raveler》 and 《Uro, Titan of Nature’s Wrath》

When asked about the absence of 《Teferi, Time Raveler》, Petr answered this:

And I agree with that. Modern is not an instant speed format right now, everybody is doing their stuff in sorcery speed.

Same for Uro, I can see why the card is great in the right deck against aggressive strategies but it’s not the majority of decks in Modern and it’s kind of dead card against all the combo.

《Arcum’s Astrolabe》

The card increases the number of snow permanent for Coatl, this is true and I believe the card is great but not in this deck. I don’t think it’s good to play 6 Hierarch / Birds and 4 《Arcum’s Astrolabe》 in the same deck so you have to choose. Our list doesn’t have mana colors problems; and you play enough fetchlands to have the 3 other snow permanents.

《Mana Leak》

I played 1, it’s good as an alternative to Coatl for 2 mana instant speed. I remove it from my deck because I was winning a lot against combo decks and wanted more stuff against aggressive decks, and added an 《Oust》 instead.

Current 15 Cards

《Disdainful Stroke》

2

Don’t sideboard in it against 《Underworld Breach》 Artifact Deck, they usually play between 0 and 2 《Urza, Lord High Artificer》, and there is no other target. Also, against GW Heliod the card might be OK according to the version you are facing. If they play 《Finale of Devastation》 and/or 《Chord of Calling》 in addition to 《Collected Company》 it might be good.

《Celestial Purge》

2

Gift Storm has only 《Goblin Electromancer》 (maybe 《Aria of Flame》 in sideboard) the fact that it doesn’t kill 《Baral, Chief of Compliance》 is an issue and I think it’s better to not play 《Celestial Purge》.

Against Dredge it deals with 《Prized Amalgam》 and 《Bloodghast》 but doing a 1 for 1 is not how you will win the game and 4 《Path to Exile》 is already good enough. I prefer 《Path to Exile》 since you can use it on your own creatures and its cost is only one mana (important with Jace). Anyway, Dredge doesn’t play much basic lands.

《Damping Sphere》

2

The card is a big issue for those 4 decks. Having it in play and protect it with counterspells basically win the game. Also, 《Renegade Rallier》 can bring it back.

《Veil of Summer》

2

Basically anything with counterspells or discards.

《Ashiok, Dream Render》

2

The reason why I prefer 《Ashiok, Dream Render》 to 《Rest in Peace》 is because of the static ability of Ashiok. The fact that your opponent can’t search their library is an issue for many decks in Modern. With Ashiok you have sideboard card against many decks since it is versatile. Also, you can play it on turn 2 with Hierarch / Birds.

It’s one of my favorite cards to play in Modern in my sideboard. If I play blue or black I will never leave home without my Ashiok!

《Oust》

2

I want many removals in creature-based matchups since you want to clean the board before having a Jace in play. Also, you have many counterspells to sideboard out in some matchups and you want to have removal instead.

In some matchups you don’t want to give an extra land with 《Path to Exile》 and you can replace 《Path to Exile》 by 《Oust》.

《Stony Silence》

2

Almost nobody plays it at the moment because it’s bad with the Swords in your deck. The thing is, in the matchup you want it, it’s going to be more annoying for your opponent than you, and they have to deal with it. Also, the fact that nobody plays it right now made the card stronger since your opponent might not anticipate it.

That being said, I believe 《Stony Silence》 is actually replaceable according to the metagame you expect. Right now I played a lot of those 4 matchups online so I keep playing it.

《Aether Gust》

1

The card is not the strongest one but it can be replaced bad cards of your main deck in many matchups to make sure you have the right number of cards to sideboard in.

Other Sideboard Options

Very Good

Bant Snowblade (Control Version)

You play cheaper cards, better interactions and at instant speed. I never lost a single game in this matchup.

Tron

Counterspells + 《Damping Sphere》 / 《Stony Silence》, Jace’s [+2] are super strong against them.

Also, some their threats are not great against you, with 《Karn Liberated》 and 《Wurmcoil Engine》 being mediocre. Only 《Ugin, the Spirit Dragon》 and 《Oblivion Stone》 are good.

Ad Nauseum / Neobrand

They have a really hard time to set up the combo. We have pressure, hand disruption and counterspell. Almost impossible to lose a match.

Gift Storm

《Spell Queller》 and 《Force of Negation》 are super good against 《Past in Flames》 since it gets exiled. Be careful that they are going to play 《Gifts Ungiven》 during your turn so your 《Force of Negation》 is not free.

Good

Eldrazi Tron

Every card in your deck is good against them. If you dodge 《Chalice of the Void》 in the early game it should be easy to win.

Red Green Moon

Since you play Hierarch and Birds, they can’t attack your lands. Also, with so many basic lands in addition to the mana creatures it’s almost impossible to be locked on 《Magus of the Moon》.

That being said, opponent is going to try to kill every single creatures on your board but Coatl and Renegade are nightmares for them since those two creatures produce card advantage. Also, the big differences of the mana cost between 《Path to Exile》 and 《Glorybringer》 creates some tempo loss for Red Green player.

Breach Artifact

You have everything to make sure they don’t combo off especially after sideboard with 《Celestial Purge》, 《Damping Sphere》 and 《Stony Silence》.

Dredge

The matchup is great since you can win without graveyard hate. 《Batterskull》 control the board perfectly and win you the game when you equip a flying creature. 《Sword of Feast and Famine》 is good because of the protection from black but you don’t want to attack them to discard a card since it may help Dredge.

《Spell Pierce》 is so good in this match too. 《Ashiok, Dream Render》 is obviously a nightmare for them since they don’t have many ways to kill it except attacking.

Amulet Titan

You really want to counter 《Amulet of Vigor》 then the rest of the match is easy. What you have to take care about is 《Dryad of the Ilysian Grove》 and 《Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle》.

GW Heliod Combo

You kill/counter only important creatures, like 《Devoted Druid》, 《Heliod, Sun-Crowned》, 《Walking Ballista》 and 《Spike Feeder》. They can assemble the combo very easily but they are very soft to interactions since some creatures don’t do anything by themselves like Heliod or 《Vizier of Remedies》.

Average

Humans

Your only target to 《Force of Negation》 is 《Aether Vial》 so don’t hesitate to counter it on turn 1. Game one is a bit tough, but it becomes much better after sideboard when you swap counterspells for removals.

《Vendilion Clique》 is great against them to trade with 《Mantis Rider》 and in response to a Vial activation.

Jund

This is a very fair match. They probably have an edge in the early games because of the discard spells but you definitely have it in the late games with both Swords to create advantages. Surprisingly, even if it creates card disadvantage, 《Force of Negation》 is good in this matchup because it can counter the two most annoying cards, 《Liliana of the Veil》 and 《Wrenn and Six》. Anyway, you have many ways to create card advantage with Coatl, Renegade and Jace. You just want a good tempo/protection when you tap out for playing them.

Jund / Grixis / Mardu Shadow

You play many removals, they don’t have much basics for 《Path to Exile》s and 《Oust》 is super good since it increases their life total. You will win by controlling the game most of the time, and finish it with Jace. You don’t need to attack them until you have many cards in hand and they have nothing. Coatl is amazingly good in this matchup too. Take care of 《Temur Battle Rage》.

Urza

It’s pretty simple, if you prevent 《Urza, Lord High Artificer》 from landing, you have a very high chance to win. If you don’t, you probably are going to lose. Jace’s [-1] ability can deal with the construct token and 《Path to Exile》 can get rid of Urza but 《Vendilion Clique》 / 《Spell Queller》 is a better answer for Urza. The rest of the deck is easy to deal with.

Bad

Mono-Red Prowess

You have to deal with all their creatures and Coatl is good against them. 《Force of Negation》 doesn’t accomplish much and you really prefer sideboard games with more removals. Most of the time, Jace’s [+2] and its ultimate is the way to win.

Burn

《Searing Blaze》 and 《Searing Blood》 are the most annoying cards creating something very similar to 2 for 1. Keep in mind to prioritize using 《Force of Negation》 for those cards. The way to win is 《Batterskull》. You want to protect your Stoneforge as much as possible but if you can’t, you just try to kill and counter important stuffs until you can hard cast 《Batterskull》. 《Renegade Rallier》 is super good in this matchup as it forces opponent to use a card + you can bring back Stoneforge or a fetch land to accelerate into 《Batterskull》.

Niv to Light

I think this is a bad match up. They have some “you win the game” spells and insane cards like 《Supreme Verdict》. You can exile 《Supreme Verdict》 with 《Spell Queller》 but they play a lot of removals. I think Niv to Light is just the opposite deck to Bant, it destroys creature-based decks and lose to combo decks. It’s actually the deck I like the most outside Bant.

Infect

Here again you have to kill all creatures except 《Noble Hierarch》. You will try to block 《Glistener Elf》 and 《Inkmoth Nexus》. The most dangerous card is 《Blighted Agent》 by far, so make sure to save your removals for it and your opponent can’t protect it with 《Blossoming Defense》.

Titan Shift

《Force of Negation》 and 《Spell Queller》 can deal with 《Summoner’s Pact》 and 《Scapeshift》 but not with 《Primeval Titan》. Against Titan, your best weapons in the maindeck are 《Vendilion Clique》 and 《Path to Exile》. Jace is your best win condition. They are going to empty their hand pretty fast and you will just use Jace’s [+2] to prevent them from drawing the win conditions and win the game with its ultimate.

After sideboard you have 《Ashiok, Dream Render》, 《Disdainful Stroke》 and 《Aether Gust》 to deal with Titan. The thing you also have to deal with is 《Dryad of the Ilysian Grove》 + 《Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle》 combo. It’s pretty annoying because you will be never happy to 《Path to Exile》 anything else but Titan. Overall, I definitely prefer to play against other land combo decks like Amulet and Tron but it’s still an average match up.

Very Bad

Bogles

You have nothing against them. You play all removals to make sure you don’t lose games when they have only 《Kor Spiritdancer》. The deck is full of variance so you can just win if they mulligan a lot.